Micki Marlo, Popular 1950s Singer and Nightclub Performer, Dies at 88

She was also a regular on 'The Steve Allen Show' and co-hosted the game show 'Charge Account' with comedian Jan Murray.

Micki Marlo, a popular recording artist and nightclub personality of the 1950s and '60s who worked with Paul Anka, Steve Allen and Jan Murray, has died. She was 88.

Marlo died Tuesday of heart-related ailments at the home of her son, Bobby Mayo Jr., in Dade County, Fla., publicist Jeff Abraham announced.

Marlo began her career at age 14 as a model while still attending South Philadelphia High School (Frankie Avalon was a neighbor). She was signed by record producer Bernie Lowe and eventually wound up at Capitol Records. Songs she recorded at the label included "Love's Like That," "How Come You Do Me Like You Do?" and "I'm Gonna Rock-Rock-Rock."

Marlo then left for ABC-Paramount, where she recorded "Ain’t That Love," "Little by Little," "What You’ve Done to Me" — which was written for her by Anka, who also sang backup on the song — and the 1959 album, Married I Can Always Get. She wore a low-cut, bare-shouldered wedding dress on the cover.

Her version of Pet Me, Poppa was done for the 1955 Frank Sinatra-Marlon Brando musical Guys and Dolls.

Marlo was a member of WPEN Philadelphia's "950 Club," a radio precursor to American Bandstand that was hosted by Ed Hurst, and she worked regularly with orchestra leader Skitch Henderson on The Steve Allen Show.

Marlo also performed on The Tonight Show, The Colgate Comedy Hour with Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis and The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show. She appeared on the game shows The Big Payoff and What’s My Line? and with Hurst co-hosted Summertime on the Pier, a live dance TV show that originated from Atlantic City on weekends.

Marlo appeared in many of the top nightclubs/hotels of her day, including the 500 Club in Atlantic City, the Copa in New York and the Flamingo in Las Vegas, and toured with Murray in nightclubs. She also was the co-hostess on his game show Charge Account, part of the comedian's TV show in the early '60s.

She also worked alongside Joe E. Lewis, Don Rickles, Myron Cohen, Alan King, Buddy Hackett and the Ritz Brothers, among others, and starred on Broadway in Ziegfeld Follies of 1957.

Marlo most recently performed with her son, a comedian and impersonator, at such venues as the Fontainebleau and the Eden Roc hotel in Miami Beach.